Pastor Bell's Words To Live By

As the prophet of the Lord, John outlines the next phase in the revelation of God to humanity. As we recall, the prophet Amos tells us that God does nothing without revealing his secrets to his prophets first (Amos 3:7). Therefore, the Lord tells John that he should go down to the river and baptise all those who hear the message of repentance and accept it. The Lord also tells him that ‘the one on whom he see the Spirit of the Lord descend on and remain is the one who will baptise his followers with Holy Spirit (v.33b). Having set out the major themes for the redemption of humanity, John identifies God among us as his bearded cousin from a small town on the outskirts of Galilee called Nazareth. John’s hearers were liberated from slavery over 2000 years before and from Babylonian captivity for over 400 years before. Yet they still disobeyed and disbelieved God and the people he sent to warm them to turn from wickedness. As john says, they were a stiff-necked lot who worked against each other rather than working together for the greater good.

John’s message is still relevant to our communities today. There are many among us who still exhibit the slavery mindset although we have accepted and responded to the message of repentance. There is more after repentance. We need to go through sanctification, which is done by the word and then the glorification stage, which is done by the Spirit.

So today, can I be free to be me? Yes but only through the work done by Jesus Christ on the cross! Read St John 1:35-51.